Monorail-grinding machine.



W. D. GHER-KY.

MONORAIL GRINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.18, 1913.

Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@ha; v; y.

61 Home W finesse o W. D. GHERKY.

MONORAIL GRINDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.18, 1013 1 95,964. Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

ZCI 0'.

' ing at the middle; or the frame may WILLIAM D. GHEBKY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MONORAIL-G-RINDING MACHgN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed January is, 1913. Serial No. 742330.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. GHERKY, a citizen of the United'States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Monorail-Grinding Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to machines designed for grinding track rails especially at g the joints of adjacent rail sections, as well as frogs, crossings, switches and the like, to remove or modify the shape of depressions that are worn therein in the course of time by the passage of the train wheels thereover. It is also useful for deepening or widening the flange-ways of rails or spinal work in tracks, made desirable by the wearing down of the head of the rail or by the use of larger flanges on the car wheels.

The principal object of the invention'is the provision of a grinding machine of that type having a rotary or equivalent grinding element that travels along the rail head or the tram to grind a comparatively even surface thereon where depressions,corrugations or the like, may occur, or to deepen or en-- large the flange-ways, where desired, the

grinding element being guided by a frame or equivalent support so shaped as to give the proper slope to the rail head or the tram merely by the movement of the grinding element longitudinally of the frame orv support.

In carrying out the invention, the grinding element or wheel is mounted in the carriage which is slidably mounted in an approximately horizontal frame that sags uniformly between its ends on a radius of great magnitude, the lowest part of the frame btee shaped to cause the grinding to follow a fiat sinusoidal curve which becomes horizontal at each end and therefore tangent to the surface of the rail. The frame is set up on the track to be ground with the lowest part of the frame directly over the point where the depression is worn by the passage of the train wheels. According to the depth of the depression, the frame is adjusted vertically to bring the grinding wheel into contact with the rail at a point to one side of the depression. The wheel is then driven at a high speed and simultaneousl the carriage is moved slowly in the guide rame to grind duce the sloping surface 4, Fig. 6, Fig.

the rail. The movement of the carriage is continued 1n one direction until the grinding element or wheel leaves the'rail. By this operation, the rail is given a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the guiding frame or support on which the grinding wheel travels, making a hollow so shallow and of such width and gradient that the tram wheels can pass over the defect without perceptible shock or jar.

With such and other objects in view, as -V1ll appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In. the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, Figure l is a side view of the machine. Fig.

2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken adjacent the center of the machine. Fig. 4 is an end View of the machine. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the shoes or foot plates which rest on the track rail to support the machine. Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views to illustrate the use of the machine.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

' Referring first to Figs. 6 and 7, the. purposes of the machine will be first explained. The track rails 1 and 2 are shown with their adjacent ends worn away at 3, forming a depression which it is the object of the grinding machine to remove, or rather to correct in such a manner as to prevent shocks and jars as the train wheel passes over'the joint. The depression 3v is in fact made many times wider by imparting a gradual slope'to the head of the rail sections, the slope being, for instance, on the dotted line 4, Fig. 6, 0r 5, Fig. 7. The length of the slope will depend upon the depth of the depression at the joint. With a deeper depression than that shown in Fig. 6, as for instance, a depression represented by the dotted lines 6, the head would be ground to slope as indicated by the dotted line 7. In grinding the head for the shallow depression 3, the grinding wheel 8'will be set to begin grinding in the position shown in full lines, and as the wheel is rotated, it is moved graduallytoward the right, Fig. 6, so as to7prothe rail 2. The movement of the wheel to the right is continued until the head of the rail 1 is given a corresponding sloping sur-' face, such as 9, Fig. 6. In case of a deeper depression, the initial position of the wheel will be more remote from the oint, as at 8 Fig-.6. In order to obtain this proper adjustment of the Wheel, it is merely necessary to adjust the supporting frame for the wheel toward or from the rail head, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The grinding machine comprises a frame A which, in the present instance, is shown as a rectangular structure formed of two.

side channel bars .10 and 11, which are connected together by end pieces 12, the channel bars being so arranged that their hollow sides are opposed to each other so that the upper and lower webs 13 and 1 1 of each chann'ef bar form a guideway or track for the carriage B which contains the grinding wheel G. The channel bars curve downwardly fro-m their ends toward the center on a radius ofgreat magnitude. In other words, the frame A is constructed with a very shallow sag of uniform gradation from each end to the center.

The frame A is supported-on the end legs 15 and a middle le ,16 disposed to one side of the frame A, so t at the latter has a threepoint support. -The end pieces 12 have upwardly-extending brackets 17 formed with internally threaded bosses 18 into which the upper ends of the standards 15 are threaded. Also on the end 'eces 12 are guide brackets 19 through whic h the standards 15 extend and are free to rotate. The upper extremities 20 of the standards are square to receive a crank or equivalent means so as to rotate the standards to raise or lower the frame A. The lower end of each standard is formed with a foot plate 21' which is flat and rests on the upper surface of a flat shoe or plate 22, the latter having a rib 23 to enter the groove 24, Figs. 3 and 4,'of the track rail. The shoes 22-are connected with the guide brackets 19 by suitable connecting elements or bolts 25 which are fastened in the shoes 22 and pass loosely through the guide brackets 19. To insure simultaneous rotation of the end-standards 15 so that both ends of the frame A will be raised or lowered simultaneously, each standard has a sprocket wheel 26 and a sprocket chain 27 dis osed under the frame A engaged with t e sprocket Loeasaa arm passes a bolt 33 for rigidly clamping the arm to the bracket 31. By means of this slot and bolt connection, the arm 3O can be adjusted to any desired position for properly placing the supporting standard 16. By turning the standard 16, the supporting frame A. can be adjusted to incline the grinding element C so as to produce any desired angularity of cutting on the rail.

The carriage B is arectangular frame which is of such size as to set in between the channel bars 10 and 11 of the main frame A, a portion of the carriage frame extending above the main frame for the passage of an arbor 34 on which the grinding wheel 0 is mounted, the arbor being journaled in bearings 35 in the carriage frame. One end of the arbor is connected to a driving shaft 36 which is of the usual flexible type and driven from a portable motor and the opposite end of the shaft has an exten-- sion 37 on-which is a loose handle 38 by which the workman moves the carriage and grinding wheel longitudinally of the main frame-A. Extending from opposite sides of the carriage B are means" for slidably engaging in the guideways formed by the flanges 13 and 14 of the channel bars 10 and 11. In the present instance, these means are sets of rollers 39 and 40 that engage, respectively, the upper and lower flanges 13 and 14, there being two sets of such rollers at each side of the carriage frame so as to give greater stability thereto in the main frame.

In using the machine, thesame is set up on the track to be ground as shown in the drawings. The curved main frame. A or guide for the carriage B is then adjusted vertically'on the standards 15 and 16 so as to bring the grinding wheel into proper relation to the head of the raiLaccording to the depth of the depression at the joint between the rail sections to accomplish the results explained in connection with Figs. -6 and 7 In setting up the machine, the lowest part or middle of the curved carriage guide A is directly over the joint to be ground. After the machine is properly adjusted, the power-is turned on to rotate the grinding wheel C and thereupon the carriage is moved longitudinally of the guide to dress the head of the rail in the manner hereinbefore explained.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and

vided with a gear Wheel 84 wliich is driven bymeans of an interposed idle gear pinion 85 which meshes with the gear wheel 82 on the underside of the table; I

When the machine is to be driven by power the idle gear wheel or pinion 85 may be en- 7 gaged by a gear wheel. or pinion 86 which is mounted on the upper endof an upright motor shaft 8 7. Any suitable motor may be employed, that-shown'in the: drawings be-' ing. an electric motor-88 which is mounted on avertically adjustable shelf-89 so thatthis motor may be raised or lowered for, either engaging'its driving gear pinion with or disengaging the same'from the idle gear wheel. The adjustmentfor this shelf which is shown in the drawings comprises a vertical stem or rod 90 de'p'endin from the underside of the shelf and ad ustably secured by means of a set screw 91 in a bracket 92 mounted on the lower part of the standard. c

The bearing 80 of the hand shaft is preferably made separate from the table and se cured to the latter by means of screws 93 passing through lugs 94 on this bearing-and into the table, whereby this hearing when worn may be renewed without the useof bushings in the same manner as the bearings of the printing wheel shaft and ofthe shaft feed belt roller and which carries the'front stackercam'arms."-

x As a whole this-mail marking machine is of very simple construction, it can be produced at comparatively low cost the same has no delicate parts which are liableto get out of-order'and it permits io'f effecting the cancellation o'r marking 'of-mail matter at a high rate offspeed without liabilityoffeedingmore than one letter at a time and 1 without soiling-the letters with ink,"thereby meetingall the standardpostal requirements at-the present time, a

I claim as my inventiont- F l. A mall marking machinecomprising means for feeding letters, and a. printing device comprising a printing pwheel arranged: on one-side of thedetter path, an eccentric journaled in-a bearing, a pivot pin arranged} ,on the upper end of said eccentric and hav-.'

ing its axis onijon'e, side of the axis of the eccentric, an impressionroller arranged on the opposite side of thegletter path transversely in line with the printing wheel and journaled on said pivotpin, a trip finger arranged on the upper end of said pivot pin and adapted to project across the letter path so as to be engaged by-the frontedge of the letters, a spring surrounding the lower end of the eccentric and connected at its opposite ends with said'eccentric and said bearing, I' and a stop arranged at the upper end of the ranged on the upper end of said pivot pin" and adapted to project across the letter path said bearing, a spring operating to swing eccentric and adaptedto engagewitha stop ing the turning of said eccentricgunder the the hand shaft and 1s plvotally mounted on 1 1 on the upper end of said bearing for limit-j action of said spring.

2. A mail vice comprising a printing wheeharrangedon one side of the letter path,flan eccentric journaled in a bearing, a pivot pin'arrangedt I on. the upper end of said. eccentrica-n'd have.

naled-on said pivot pin, a tripfinger'arso as to be engaged'by the front edge of the letters, a spring surrounding the lower end of the eccentric and connected atits opposite ends with said eccentric and said bearing, a stop arranged at the upper end of the eccentric and adapted to engage with'a stop on the upper end of said bearing for limiting the turning of said eccentric under the action ofsaid spring, a rock arm carrying said arm toward the letter path, and a stop for limiting the movement of said arm under the action of said last mentioned spring. v i '3. A'mail marking machine comprising a separator, a letter feeding belt moving with its face past said separator, said belt and separator forming a throat through which the letters are moved successively by said belt, a belt support for supporting the back of said belt opposite said separator, a 100 printing couple to which the letters :are moved by said feeding belt and which has "a printing wheel and an impression roller arranged on opposite sides of the letter path,

lessthan the diameter of said printing ';wheel, a time ,stop: arranged opposite the, jfacelof said belt close proximity-to,v the outlet of said throat between said separator 110 and belt. and having two stop fingers'fwhich int-he operative position of the-time stopproject across the letter path adjacent to theupper and lower edges of the feeding 4 belt, means formoving said time'stopyield- 115 ingly toward the face of the belt, and" means for periodically moving said timestop'away ing. its axis on one side of the'aicis-jof the'zecvcentrlc, an impresslon roller'arranged-ion the. opposite side of the letter path'transversely;' in line with the printing wheelfand; jour--- the distance from said throat to theT'p-rinting point between said wheel and, roller. being from said belt in harmony with'said 'pr-int- F. S. BRECKELL, C B, LIVERMORE,

- ing wheel. 7 p p I,

.. Witness my hand this 17th day of March, 19 13.

c FRED o. IELFIELD.

l Witnesses: 

